Toni Collette

Toni Collette

Collette at the Orange British Academy Film Awards, February 2007
Born Antonia Collette
1 November 1972 (1972-11-01) (age 38)
Blacktown, Sydney, Australia
Occupation Actress, musician
Years active 1992–present
Spouse Dave Galafassi (2003–present)

Antonia "Toni" Collette (born 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress and musician, known for her acting work on stage, television and film as well as a secondary career as the lead singer of the band Toni Collette & the Finish.

Collette's acting career began in the early 1990s with comedic roles in films such as Spotswood (1992) and Muriel's Wedding (1994), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.[1] Following her performances in Emma (1996) and The Boys (1998), Colette achieved international recognition as a result of her Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lynn Sear in The Sixth Sense (1999).[1] She has appeared in thrillers such as Shaft (2000) and Changing Lanes (2001) and independent comedy films like About a Boy (2002), In Her Shoes (2005) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006).[2]

In 2009, she began playing the lead role in the television series United States of Tara for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2010.[1]

Contents

Early life

Collette was born in Blacktown, a working class suburb in western Sydney, the daughter of Judy, a customer-service representative, and Bob Collette, a truck driver. She has two younger brothers, Ben and Christopher.[3] From an early age, Collette showed a talent for acting. She faked appendicitis when she was eleven years old and was so convincing that doctors removed her appendix, although tests showed nothing wrong with it.[4] She attended Blacktown Girls High School until the age of 16, and then later attended both the Australian Theatre for Young People and NIDA. Her first acting role was onstage in the musical Godspell in Sydney in her early teens.[5]

Acting career

1990s

Colette made her television debut in 1990, in a guest appearance on the Seven Network drama series A Country Practice. Collette has won five Australian Film Institute awards, including the Australian Best Actress in a Lead Role for Muriel's Wedding in 1994, a role for which she gained 18kg (40lb) in seven weeks. In 1996, she was part of the ensemble cast of the comedy, Così.

She has also received broad acclaim on Broadway, starring as Queenie in Michael John LaChiusa's musical work, The Wild Party. For this role, Collette received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.

Collette had to turn down the title role in Bridget Jones's Diary because she was committed to perform on Broadway at the time.[6] In 1999, She received an Academy Award nomination for her role as the mother of a troubled boy in the U.S. film The Sixth Sense, which also starred Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment.

2000s

Collette at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival

Colette's only film in 2005 was In Her Shoes, a comedy-drama about the relationship between two uncommon sisters and their estranged grandmother, co-starring Cameron Diaz and Shirley MacLaine. Based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Jennifer Weiner, the production received generally positive reviews from critics, and became a moderate independent success, garnering a total of $82.2 million worldwide.[7] Colette was subsequently nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress for her performance of a successful-but-lonely lawyer with low self-esteem, which Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle noted the focus of the film: "As usual, Collette's face is a fine-tuned transmitter of her emotions, moment by moment, and she becomes the locus of audience feeling."[8]

In 2006, Colette starred in Little Miss Sunshine, a comedy-drama-road movie about a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2006, and its distribution rights were bought by Fox Searchlight Pictures for one of the biggest deals made in the history of the festival.[9] Released in July 2006, the film received major critical acclaim, resulting into several accolades such as four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, whilst Colette herself earned her second BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of the family's worn-out matriarch.[1] A box office success, Little Miss Sunshine went on to gross $100.5 million worldwide and became one of the most successful independent films of the mid-2000s.[10]

Also in 2006, Colette starred in supporting roles in the thriller films Like Minds, The Night Listener and The Dead Girl. Although latter was released to positive response during its limited North American run,[11] none of these films fared generally well at the box office, with Robin Williams-featuring The Night Listener emerging as the biggest-selling production at a global gross of $10.5 million.[12] In her first television engagement in five years, the HBO-BBC joint mini series Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006), Colette played an Australian government employee who tries to cope with the events following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the resulting tsunami in Thailand. Broadcasted to controversial critics,[13] her performance of an aid worker garnered Colette her first Primetime Emmy nomination and third Golden Globe nomination.[1]

In 2008, Collette accepted the leading role in the Showtime comedy drama series, United States of Tara. Created by Steven Spielberg and Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody, the show revolves around a wife and mother of two with dissociative identity disorder, coping with her four alternate personalities. Originally planned for a twelve episode season, the series was picked up for another episode season to be broadcasted in 2010. Collete won both the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series and the Best Actress in a TV Comedy for her performance on the show.[14] She stars in the upcoming remake of Fright Night which is planned for 2011.[15]

Music career

In October 2006, she began touring Australia to promote her first vocal album Beautiful Awkward Pictures, released on Hoola Hoop Records under the name Toni Collette & the Finish, a band for which her husband drums. Collette recently appeared on the Australian television show Cool Aid and performed the song "Look Up" off of her album. Collette and the Finish were a headlining act at the Sydney show of Live Earth. She sang T-Rex's "Children Of The Revolution" with The Finish.

Personal life

She has been married to Dave Galafassi since 11 January 2003 and owns homes in both Australia and the Republic of Ireland. Collette is a supporter of animal rights and PETA. She urged former Prime Minister John Howard to end the Australian sheep farming practice of mulesing, which is considered by many animal rights activists to be cruel.[16] She later revised her position after doing her own research of the Australian wool industry.[17] She gave birth to her first daughter Sage Florence in Sydney on 9 January 2008.[18]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1990 A Country Practice Tracy (TV series)
1992 Spotswood Wendy Robinson Nominated — Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1993 The Thief and the Cobbler Mad Holy Old Witch (voice)
1994 This Marching Girl Thing Cindy (short film)
Muriel's Wedding Muriel Heslop Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor - Female
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1996 Così Julie
The Pallbearer Cynthia
Emma Harriet
Lilian's Story Young Lilian Singer Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1997 Clockwatchers Iris Chapman
The James Gang Julia Armstrong
Diana & Me Diana Spencer
1998 The Boys Michelle Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actor - Female
Velvet Goldmine Mandy Slade
1999 8½ Women Griselda/Sister Concordia
The Sixth Sense Lynn Sear Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
2000 Shaft Diane Palmieri Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Action
Hotel Splendide Kath
The Magic Pudding Meg Bluegum (voice)
2001 Dinner with Friends Beth (TV film)
2002 Changing Lanes Michelle
About a Boy Fiona Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Dirty Deeds Sharon Nominated — Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor - Female
The Hours Kitty Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2003 Japanese Story Sandy Edwards Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor - Female
Inside Film Award for Best Actres
Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama
2004 The Last Shot Emily French
Connie and Carla Carla
2005 In Her Shoes Rose Feller Nominated — Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actress
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama
2006 Little Miss Sunshine Sheryl Hoover Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated — Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actress
Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
The Night Listener Donna D. Logand
Like Minds Sally also known as Murderous Intent
The Dead Girl Arden
Tsunami: The Aftermath Kathy Graham (mini series)
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Miniseries or a Movie
2007 Evening Nina Mars
Towelhead Melina Hines
2008 The Black Balloon Maggie Mollison Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger Mary
2009 Mary and Max Mary Daisy Dinkle (voice)
United States of Tara (TV series) Tara Gregson Australian Film Institute Award for Best International Actress (2009)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy (2010)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series (Won in 2009, Nominated in 2010)
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (2010)
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2009)
2011 Fright Night Judy Brewster

Discography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Awards for Toni Colette". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001057/awards. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
  2. ↑ "Toni Colette — Box Office Data Movie Star". The Numbers. http://www.the-numbers.com/people/TCOLL.php. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
  3. ↑ Toni Collette Biography - Yahoo! Movies
  4. ↑ "Collette call". The Guardian (London). 2006-08-20. http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1853953,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-25. 
  5. ↑ "In Step With: Toni Collette". Parade Magazine. January 11, 2009 url = http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2009/01/toni-collette.html. 
  6. ↑ Golden moments with Toni - Music - Entertainment - theage.com.au
  7. ↑ "In Her Shoes (2005)". The-Numbers.com. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2005/HSHOE.php. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  8. ↑ LaSalle, Mich (2005-10-07). "Oh, Grow Up. And Move Out Of Here While You're At It". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/07/DDGRNF31LM1.DTL. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  9. ↑ Duong, Senh (2006-01-21). "Sundance: Searchlight Spends Big For Little Miss Sunshine". Rotten Tomatoes. http://web.archive.org/web/20071122000235rn_1/www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1646244/. Retrieved 2009-07-20. 
  10. ↑ "Little Miss Sunshine (2006)". The-Numbers.com. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/LMSUN.php. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  11. ↑ "The Dead Girl (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dead_girl/. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  12. ↑ "The Night Listener (2006)". The-Numbers.com. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/NTLIS.php. Retrieved 2010-05-06. 
  13. ↑ Bianco, Robert (2006-12-07). "HBO's Tsunami Is Itself A Disaster, And Just Wrong". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2006-12-07-tsunami_x.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  14. ↑ Joyce Eng (20 September 2009). "Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Cryer Win First Emmys". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Kristin-Chenoweth-Jon-1009931.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-20. 
  15. ↑ Steve Barton (11 May 2010). "DreamWorks Adds Colin Farrell and Toni Collette to Fright Night". Dread Central. http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37446/dreamworks-adds-colin-farrell-and-toni-collette-fright-night. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
  16. ↑ Save the Sheep! > Australian Actor Toni Collette Urges Prime Minister John Howard to End Cruelty to Sheep
  17. ↑ Actress backs down on call for mulesing ban - 18/07/2005
  18. ↑ Toni Collette Has a Girl - Babies, Toni Collette : People.com

External links

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series

Patricia Heaton (2001) · Jennifer Aniston (2002) · Debra Messing (2003) · Sarah Jessica Parker (2004) · Felicity Huffman (2005) · Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2006) · America Ferrera (2007) · Tina Fey (2008) · Toni Collette (2009) · Edie Falco (2010)

(1950–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–present)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy

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